Youth--An Undervalued Asset : Towards a New Agenda in the Middle East and North Africa

Download

Published

Journal

Author(s)

Metadata

Abstract

Youth are becoming an increasing
priority for countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Youth are an asset that if properly nurtured can stimulate
the economic and social development of the region. Countries
are searching for effective policies to capitalize on this
youth asset and an increasing number of governmental and
nongovernmental institutions in the region are involved in
youth related-work. This report represents an initial
attempt to assess the case for making investment in youth a
systematic development priority for the region. It
summarizes what is known about the challenges facing youth
and the opportunities successful youth embody, and begins to
consider the contours of promising cross-sectoral,
youth-centered, and inclusive policies for the region and
the potential role for the World Bank. It is a first step in
the process of setting out the issues to encourage dialogue
and discussion among policy makers leading to decisions and
eventually actions. The report has two intended audiences.
The first are policy makers in the region, particularly
those in Governments that are responsible for economic and
social policy including Ministries of Finance, planning and
economy and line ministries responsible for delivery of
social services to youth such as the health, education,
social affairs and youth ministries. Second, donors and
development organizations such as the World Bank can use the
report as an input into thinking about how youth issues may
fit into projects and to help formulate priorities toward
youth in the future.